For the 15th year, Operation Homefront will honor the extraordinary achievements of American military children through its annual Military Child of the Year® Awards program. Nominations open today for outstanding young people ages 13 to 18 who are legal dependents of a service member or military retiree and who have demonstrated resilience, leadership, and achievement during their parents’ military service. Nominees will be accepted through December 4, 2022.
Military children, who serve our country alongside their parents, exemplify incredible strength of character. Operation Homefront’s Military Child of the Year® program seeks to recognize those who thrive in the face of the challenges common in military life. Seven Military Child of the Year® recipients will each represent a branch of the armed forces — Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard. Award recipients display dedication to excellence in schools and honor societies, civic associations and clubs, sports, and volunteerism. These young heroes embody leadership within their families and communities, and you never have to look far to find a military child deserving of a nomination.
All seven Military Child of the Year® Award recipients will be invited to attend Operation Homefront’s Military Child of the Year® Awards Gala on Thursday, April 13, 2023, in Arlington, VA, where they will each receive $10,000, a laptop, and donated surprises from Operation Homefront’s generous partners. Operation Homefront will provide airfare and lodging for each award recipient and two family members for a two-day visit to the Washington, D.C. area.
“Our military members are known for their tremendous teamwork, leadership, and resiliency – positive qualities that are further demonstrated by their family members who serve alongside them,” said retired Brig. Gen. John I Pray Jr., President and CEO of Operation Homefront. “It is an honor to recognize the remarkable accomplishments of military children, who are making an incredible impact in their communities while facing the many challenges unique to military life.”
Recipients have had the honor of meeting several Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, First Lady Michelle Obama, Paralympian/veteran Melissa Stockwell, entertainers King Calaway and Brenley Brown, former NFL star and philanthropist Jason Brown, and singer/songwriter/philanthropist Bret Michaels, who have served as guest speakers and entertainers. Actor and writer David Hoffman, who spent his childhood as an Army dependent, has also supported the Military Child of the Year® Awards in recent years, emceeing the awards gala in 2022.
“Being the 2022 Military Child of the Year for the Army is one of the biggest honors of my life,” said Elena Ashburn. “My experience with Operation Homefront and all of the other MCOY recipients in DC was truly one of the most amazing weeks of my life. I made incredible friends, laughed a ton, and met so many other phenomenal individuals passionate about the military community. Because of Operation Homefront’s incredible generosity, I was able to invest in my education, and I am currently attending college debt-free, thanks in part to them.”
Visit operationhomefront.org/military-child-of-the-year to learn more and nominate a child for their respective branch award. Anyone can nominate a military child—from family members and friends, to teachers, coaches, counselors, and clergy. Everyone is encouraged to recognize the outstanding military children in their lives.
HOW TO NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR A MILITARY CHILD OF THE YEAR® AWARDS
Go to www.operationhomefront.org/military-child-of-the-year. The webpage offers a wealth of information on the awards and provides inspirational stories about previous recipients of the award.
WHO MAY NOMINATE FOR THE MILITARY CHILD OF THE YEAR® AWARDS?
It takes a community to help our military children throughout their military life journey. Members of the nominee’s community can nominate… parents, siblings, teachers, coaches, clergy, neighbors, grandparents, and anyone familiar with the child’s achievements.
QUESTIONS
You can find a list of frequently asked questions here FAQs and you can reach out to [email protected] with any questions you have.
